Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 2.djvu/47

KINNAIRD HEAD CASTLE 31 FOURTH PERIOD KINNAIRD HEAD CASTLE, ABERDEENSHIRE. This castle of the Frasers occupies a prominent position at the entrance to the Moray Firth. It is oblong on plan, measuring about 40 feet by 30 feet, and 60 feet high, and is now used by the Northern Lighthouse Commissioners as one of their lighthouses. It has been greatly altered to suit their requirements, but still retains a good corbel course, with round projecting bartizans at the angles, and square ones in the centre of the faces (Fig. 498). This castle was built about the year 1570 by Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth (Philorth being the ancient name of the parish). About twenty years before this, Sir Alexander had begun the construction of a harbour, and projected the town since known as Fraserburgh ; and doubtless the tower was erected as a residence for himself, so that he might personally overlook the works going on in his rising burgh. He would thus avoid the journey ings to and from his castle of Cairnbulg, some two or three miles distant, and probably by his pre- sence encourage the progress of the undertaking. About fifty yards distant from the castle stands the singular erection known as the Wine Tower (Fig. 499). The relative position of the two towers will be understood from the sketch (Fig. 500), where the Wine Tower is shown in the foreground, and quite close to the sea, to which the rocks run shelving down. The building (which is of very rough masonry) is oblong on plan, and measures on the outside 26 feet 7 inches by 21 feet, and is 27 feet in height. It contains three stories, all vaulted, as shown on the section. The ground floor measures 16 feet 7 inches by 1 1 feet, so that the walls are about 5 feet thick. It is entered from the east end by a narrow doorway, reached by an inconvenient path along the south side. In front of the door, at a distance of about 10 feet, the rock is precipitous down to the sea at high water, and immediately beneath there is a cave which it is believed communicated with the basement floor of the tower, which seems very probable. The cave can be seen on sketch (Fig. 499). Except when the door is open the base- FIG. 498. View of Kinnaird Head Castle.